Automatic train-pipe coupling.



A, M. P0RTBR-` y AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE GOUPLING.

A APPLICATION FILED SEPT.14. 1911. 1,021,26 1 Patented Mar. 26, 1912 3SHEETS-.SHEET 1.'

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' A. M. PORTER.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE OOUPLING.

APPLIoA'rIoN FILED 521mm, 1911.

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A. M. PORTER.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE OOUPLING.

APPLIoATIoN FILED' SEPT. 14, 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 191.2.V

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT M. PORTER, OF AMSTERDAM, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT M. PORTER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Amsterdam, in the county ofBates and. State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful AutomaticTrain-Pipe Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in automatic train pipe couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction oftrain pipe couplings, and to provide a simple, efficient andcomparativelyT inexpensive train pipe cou'- pling, designed for use onpassenger and freight cars, and capable of enabling the same to coupleautomatically when the cars are coupled and equipped with valvesclosable automatically to cut off the air and adapted to be lockedagainst such closing movement so that in event of accidental separationof the cars, the brakes will be automatically set through reduction inthe pressure of the train line.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claimshereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope ofthe claims, may be re sorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic t-rain pipecoupling, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on theline 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5 5 ofFig. 4. Fig. G is a transverse sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8is a pei'- spective view of one of the coupling heads. Fig. 9 is asimilar view of the longitudinally slidable spring actuated member withits slidable valve. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the guideframe. Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of the yieldably mountedvalve plate. Fig. 12 is a detail longitudinal sectional view showing theslidable valve in its closed position.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 14, 1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Serial No. 649,343.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferredembodiment of the invention, 1 1 designate hollow coupling lheadsprovided with interlocking arms or extensions 2 and 3. having innerparallel portions and outer diverging or guiding portions 4L and 5. Thearms or extensions 2 are arranged at the right hand side of the couplinghead and are spaced apart, being located at the top and bottom portionsof the coupling head. The other arm 3 is located at the left hand sideof the coupling head in a central position mid-way between the top andbottom thereof. When two cars come together for coupling, the divergingportions of the arms or extensions are adapted to guide the couplingheads into engagement with each other, and the centrally arranged lefthand arm or extension 3 of one coupling head lits into the space betweenthe top and bottom right hand arms or extensions of the other couplinghead. The two coupling heads are slidably interlocked with each otherwhen coupled, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, ot' the drawings. Byhaving the outer portions 4 and 5 of the arms 2 and 3 extended outwardlyat an angle, they will guide the two coupling heads into engagement witheach other even when the same are considerably out of alinement, whichmay occur in coupling cars on curves and under other conditions. Thehollow coupling head 1 is provided with a longitudinal opening G oblongin cross section, the greater width of the opening being from top tobottom. The opening 6 receives a spring pressed yieldably mountedlongitudinally slidable member 7. guided in the said opening 6 andbetween the parallel longitudinal portions of the arms 2 and 3, the arms2 being provided at their inner sides with longitudinal grooves S,corresponding with the opening 6 and receiving the upper and lowerportions of the slidable member 7 at one side thereof. I

The longitudinally slidable member Vis provided with a vertical seriesof longltudinal passages 9, 10 and 11, the intermediate or centralpassage '10 being for the air brake, the upper passage 9 for the signaland the lower passage for the steam, but any other arrangement may, ofcourse, be employed. The slidable member 7 is equipped at its front orouter end with gaskets 12 lof rubber, or other suitable material,adapted when the coupling heads are coupled to be compressed to providea tight joint or connection between the two coupling heads. The passages9, 10 and 11 of the slidable member 7 are connected by short tubes 13 14and 15 with corresponding passages 16, 17 and 18 of a slidable valve 19,guided in a frame 2O and co-acting with a valve plate 21. The passagesof the valve are provided with lateral extensions 22, 23 and 24, whichby the sliding of the valve are moved into and out of communication withgrooves or passages 25, 2G and 27 of the valve plate 21. The grooves orpassages 25, 26 and 27 are formed in the inner faces of the valve plate21 at the rea-r portion thereof, and when the longitudinally slidablemember is moved inward or rearward, the terminals 22, 23 and 24 of thepassages of the valve 19 are carried inwardly or rearwardly from a solidimperforate portion 28 of the valve plate to the channels or passages25, 26 and 27. The channels or passages 25, 26 and 27 establish acommunication between the longitudinal passages 16, 17 and 18 andtransverse passages or perfo- Y rations 29, 30 and 31 in the rearportion of the slidable valve. The valve plate is arranged at one of thefaces of the slidable valve, which is provided at its opposite face withrubber hose 32, 33 and 34, designed to be equipped with the ordinarycouplings 35 for connecting them with the ordinary ilexible connections36 of the pipe of the train. This will enable the air brake or trainpipe coupling to be readily applied to an ordinary car connected withthe rubber hose thereof without necessitating any alteration in the pipeconnections, but the transverse passages of the slidable valve may becon nected with the pipes of the train in any other suitable manner.

The guide frame 20, which is open at the sides, is composed of paralleltop and bottom portions 37 and 38, spaced vertical front connectingportions 39 and a rear vertical connecting portion 40, arranged in thevertical plane of the top and bottom portion of the guide frame. The topand bottom portions 37 and 38 are provided in their inner faces withgrooves 41 for guiding the upper and lower edges of the slidable valve.The guide frame 2O is also provided atits inner or rear portion with acentral horizontal shank 42. The spaced front side portions 39 areprovided with centrally arranged openings 43 in which are secured therear ends of the horizontal guide rods 44, located at opposite sides ofthe air brake or train pipe coupling and passing through openings 45 oflateral extension 46 of the slidable member 7 and having their front orouter terminals secured in sockets 47 in the inner or rear portions ofthe coupler head. Clamping screws 48 and 49, which are mounted on thefront vertical portions 39 of the frame and on the rear portion of thecoupling head, are preferably employed for securing the terminals of theguide rods in the openings of the front portions 39 and in the socketsof the coupling head. The guide rods receive coiled springs 50,interposed between the guiding frame and the lateral extensions of theslidable member 7 and adapted to urge the latter forwardly or outwardlyin engagement with the slidable member of a corresponding coupling andalso for moving the slidable valve 19 outwardly to its closed positionto cut oft1 t-he air and the steam. In order to prevent the springs fromclosing the valve and to cause the brakes to be automatically applied,should the cars of a train accidentally separate, the slidable member isequipped with a locking device 51, pivoted by a transverse pin 52 in arecess formed by lugs 53, extending upwardly at the rear end of theslidable member 7. When the air brake coupling or connector is coupled,the locking device is adapted to be swung either inwardly or outwardly,and when it is swung outwardly, it is supported upon the rear portion ofthe slidable member and is arranged back of the coupling head and is inposition to engage the same to prevent the slide valve fromautomatically closing. When the locking device is swung inwardly orrearwardly, the s lide valve will close automatically when the cars areuncoupled and separated.

`The valve plate 21, which is rectangular, is arranged at one side ofthe guiding' fra-me in the opening between the top and bot-tom portionsthereof. and it is yieldably held against the slidable valve by means ofsprings 54, mounted upon transverse screws 55 and interposed between theheads thereof and projecting upper and lower portions or lugs 56 of thevalve plate. The screws 55, which pierce the projecting portions or lugsof the valve plate, are mounted in threaded transverse bores or openingsin the top and bottom portions 37 and 38 of the guiding frame, and theyare capable. of adjustment to vary the tension of the spring to securethe proper Contact between the valve plate and the slidable valve. rPheterminal projecting portions or lugs fit in recesses 57'in the top andbot-tom portions of the guiding frame` whereby the valve plate is heldagainst movement longitudinally of the frame and the screws relative ofthe lateral strain.

The automatic air brake or train pipe coupling may be suspended from acar by any suitable hanger mechanism, and in practice it will be locatedbelow the car coupling and will project in advance of the same to causethe slidable spring actuated member to beV compressed sufficiently toproduce a tight joint between the slidable members of the two couplingheads. In the accompanying drawings, the outer or front end of the guideframe is provided with eyes 58 to which are connected the lower ends ofthe coiled springs 59, and the latter are connected at their upper endsto short chains 60, designed to be connected with the framework of acar, or other suitable supporting means by hooked bolt-s 61, or similarfastening devices.

The shank 42 of the guiding frame is rectangular in cross section, andit passes through a square opening in a guiding sleeve 62, which issuspended from a car by means of a bracket 63. The bracket 63, which isprovided at its upper end with an attaching plate 64, has a head 65 atits lower end. The head 65, which is in the form of a ball fits in asocket formed by the top portion of the sleeve 62 and a plate 66. Theplate 66, which is secured over a recess in the top of the sleeve 62, isprovided with an opening through which the bracket passes, and theopening is flared at the upper portion and presents a concave face atthe lower portion to t the ball 65 of the bracket 63. The bracket andthe sleeve form aball and socket joint or connection and permit alimited movement of the rear portion of the air brake or t-rain pipecoupling. A. cushioning spring 67, which is disposed upon the shank 42,is interposed between the supporting sleeve and the rear end of theguiding frame for urging the air brake or train p-ipe coupling forwardlyor outwardly and for yieldably maintaining t-hesame in engagement with asimilar air brake or train pipe coupling. The outward movement of the.air brake or train pipe coupling is limited by a transverse pin or key68. piercing the inner or rear end of the shank 42 and engaging theinner or rear end of the supporting sleeve 62, which is adapted toprevent rotary movement of the air brake or train pipe coupling.

While three passages are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, yetit will be apparent that the air brake or train pipe coupling may beequipped with only a single passage for the air brake line when it isdesired to construct the coupling for freight car equipments. As the airbrake or train pipe couplings of passenger and freight car equipmentswill be otherwise the same and as the air brake passage of the passengerequipment is centrally arranged, freightI car and passenger equipmentswill couple automatically and will be effective wit-h respect to thecentral or air brake passage.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent. is z- 1. An automatic air brake or trainpipe coupling including a hollow coupling head provided with outwardlyprojecting arms, and a slidable member mounted in the hollow couplinghead and guided by the arms thereof and provided with a passage.

2. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling including a hollowcoupling head provided at one side with spaced arms and having a singlearm at the opposite side, the spaced arms being provided withlongitudinal grooves, and a slidable member mounted in the coupling headand guided between the arms thereof and fitting in the said grooves andhaving a passage.

3. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling including a hollowcoupling head, a yieldably mounted member slidable in the coupling headand having a passage, means for connecting the passage with the pipe ofa train, and valve mechanism for the said passage located in rear oftheslidable member and exterior-ly of the hollow coupling head and operatedby the sliding movement of the said member.

4. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling including a hollowcoupling head, a yieldably mounted member slidable in the coupling headand having a passage, means for connecting the passage with the pipe ofa train, valve mechanism for the said passage located in rear of theslidable member and exteriorly of the hollow coupling head and operatedby the sliding movement of the said member, and an exteriorly arrangedlocking device for holding the valve in one position.

5. An automatic air brake or tra-in pipe coupling including a couplinghead, a slidable member movable through the coupling head and having apassage, means for connecting the passage with the pipe of a train,valve mechanism for the said passage located in the rear of the slidablemember and exteriorly of t-he lcoupling head and operated by the slidingmovement of the said member, a spring for urging the slidable memberoutwardly and for closing the valve mechanism, and an exteriorlyarranged locking device for holding the slidable member against outwardmovement to maintain the valve mechanism open.

6. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling including a couplinghead, a slidable member movable through the coupling head and having apassage, means for connecting the passage with the pipe of a train`valve mechanism for the said passage located in rear of the slidablemember and exteriorly of the coupling head and operated by the slidingmovement of the said member, a spring for urging the slidable memberoutwardly and for closing' the valve mechanism, and a locking devicepivotally mounted on the exterior of the slidable member and arranged toengage the couplinghead to lock the slidable member against outwardmovement.

7. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling including' a couplinghead, a slidable member movable through the coupling head and having apassage, means for connecting the passage with a pipe of a train, andvalve mechanism for the said passage located in rear of the slidablemember and exteriorly of the coupling'head and provided With a slidevalve connected with and operated by the slidable member and movableoutwardly to close the passage and inwardly to open the same, and aspring for urging the slidable member outwardly and for automaticallyclosing the valve.

S. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling comprising a couplinghead, a slidable member mounted in the coupling head and having apassage, means Jfor connecting the passage with a train pipe including aslide valve having inner and outer passages, the outer passage being incommunication with the passage of the slidable member, a relativelyfixed part having a passage for connecting the inner and outer passagesof the slide valve, the movement of the latter carrying the passagesinto and out of register to open and close the communication between thepassage of the slidable member and the pipe of the train.

9. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling comprising a couplinghead, a slidable member having a passage and movable in the couplinghead, means for connecting the passage with the pipe of a trainincluding a slide valve having inner and outer passages, a tube or pipeconnecting the outer passage of the slide valve With the passage of theslidable member, a valve plate co-acting with the slide valve and havinga passage tor connecting the inner and outer passages of the said slidevalve, and a spring connected with the slidable member and adapted tomove one of the passages of the slide valve out of register with thepassage of the valve plate.

10. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling including a couplinghead, a slidable member movable in the coupling head and provided With aplurality of passages,

a slide valve having corresponding passages, pipes or tubes connectingthe slide valve with the passages of the slidable member, flexible meansfor connecting the passages of the slide valve with the pipes of atrain. and means cacting with the slide valve and controlled by themovement thereof for establishing and interrupting communication in thesaid passages.

11. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling comprising a couplinghead, a slidable member mounted in the coupling head and having apassage, and means for connecting the passage of the slidable memberWith the pipe of a train including a slide valve having a passageconnected With that of the slidable member, and a hose connected Withthe slidable member and communicating With the passage of the slidevalve and having a coupling for connecting it with the hose of the pipeof a train.

12. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling including a hollowcoupling head, a guiding frame, rods connecting the coupling head andthe guiding frame, a slidable member mounted in the coupling head, aslide valve guided in the said frame, a pipe or tube connecting theslidable member and the slide valve, springs disposed on the rods andconnected With the slidable member for moving the same outwardly, andmeans for connecting the slide valve with the pipe of a train.

13. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling including a couplinghead, a slidable member having a passage and movable in the coupling, aguiding frame connected with the coupling head, a slide valve guided inthe said frame and having inner and outer passages, the outer passagecommunieating With the passage of the slidable member, means forconnecting the inner passage Witli the pipe of a train, and a relativelyxed part supported by the guiding frame and having a groove or channelto connect the inner and outer passages ot the slide valve and providedwith an imperferate portion for closing one of the passages of the slidevalve.

14. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling including a couplinghead, a slidable member having a passage and movable in the coupling, aguiding frame connected With the coupling head, a slide valve guided inthe said frame and having inner and outer passages, the outer passagecommunieating With the passage of the slidable member, means forconnecting the inner passage with the pipe of a train, a valve platelocated at one side of the guide frame and having a groove or channel toconnect the inner and outer passages of the slide valve and providedWith an impertorate portion for closing one of the said passages, andyieldable means mounted on the frame and engaging the valve plate formaintaining the same in contact with the slidable valve.

15. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling comprising a hollowcoupling head, a guiding frame, rods connecting the guiding frame withthe coupling head, a slidable member movable in the coupling head andhaving a passage andvprovided with lateral extensions slidable in thesaid rods, springs disposed on the rods and engaging the lateralextensions for urging the slidable member outwardly, and means torconnecting the passage of the slidable member With the pipe of a train,

16. An automatic air brake or train pipe coupling comprising a hollowcoupling head, a guiding frame, rods connecting the guiding frame withthe coupling head, a slidable member movable in the coupling head andhaving a passage and provided with lateral extensions slidable on thesaid rods7 springs disposed on the rods and engaging the lateralextensions for urging the slidable member outwardly, and means forconnecting the passage of the slidable member with the pipe of a trainand including valve mechanismfor the said passage operated by thesliding movement of the said member, springs mounted on the rods andengaging and bearing against the lateral eX- tensions for Ymoving theslidable member outwardly, and a pivoted locking device connected withthe slidable member and arranged to engage the inner or rear end of 20In testimony, that I claim the foregoing 25 as my own, I have heretoattxed my s1gnature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT M. PORTER.

Witnesses:

J. S. AMY, D. R. HUGHES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

